On a much smaller scale, the Fischer Duo - cellist Norman Fischer and pianist Jeanne Kierman Fischer, presents a free recital on Sunday afternoon, also in Stude Hall. They'll play a program that's tightly focused on Rice, consisting of works by composers who teach or taught at the Shepherd School.

But, to the credit of Rice's composers past and present, there was enough material to warrant a second recital. And to the credit of the Fischers' commitment to performing contemporary music, five more Rice composers will be performed during Sunday's recital

"When the centennial was announced," Norman Fischer says, "one of the first things that came to my mind was that we needed to do something to celebrate the composers at Rice. I don't think anyone has ever done this kind of survey of composition at Rice before. This is a great adventure."

The Fischers are certainly the right people to do it. They've been playing together for more than four decades - for two of those decades as instructors at the Shepherd School. They've often championed new works and have commissioned more than 20 compositions for cello and piano.

Significantly, Sunday's recital has no premieres. Rather, the Fischers' intention was to revisit works they'd played before. And with some of the programmed works, the Fischers have long-standing connections.

"We've done all these pieces at various times," Fischer notes. "But as friends and colleagues, we wanted to bring these works together to be heard. And as with any works of substance, the more you play them, the more you're able to delve more deeply into the music."

The opening sonata by Samuel Jones (the Shepherd School's founding dean) was written for the Fischers' 25th wedding anniversary. And Fischer recalls that he received a copy of "Character Pieces," by the late Ellsworth Milburn (who died five years ago) in 1980, shortly after it was written. The Fischer Duo promptly performed it - and later made a recording of the work.

"The range of expression," Fischer says, "is huge. The works are all virtuosic, powerful and lyrical."

"It would be impossible to overestimate the impact that the Fischer Duo has had on the musical life of this school," says the Shepherd School's dean, Robert Yekovich. "Over these two recital programs, they're playing music by nearly every composer who's ever been associated with the Shepherd School." (Yekovich will be at Sunday's recital, participating in a discussion with some of the composers whose works are performed.)

Playing just one all-modern recital is challenging enough for many classical musicians. But preparing two of them within one month is a daunting task - as Fischer himself would surely agree.

"The first concert was really exhausting," he says, "and the second is probably a little bit more so!"

Colin Eatock is a journalist who covers classical music. He lives in Toronto.